


Oh, Do Not Look At Me So...

by momomomodi



Series: Chronicles of Ace [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Childhood Friends, Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Spoilers, Gen, Heavy Angst, I like writing the sad, Implied Violence, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Not Beta Read, Post-The Vault (Final Fantasy XIV), big sad, everyone is sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:40:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21757705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/momomomodi/pseuds/momomomodi
Summary: Written immediately after the events of the Vault.
Relationships: Francel de Haillenarte & Warrior of Light, Haurchefant Greystone & Warrior of Light
Series: Chronicles of Ace [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1550332
Kudos: 3





	Oh, Do Not Look At Me So...

**Author's Note:**

> Danica Voss belongs to @Sphinxriddle on AO3

“Oh, do not look at me so.”

“A smile better suits a hero…”

The words echoed in her mind. She clutched at him blindly, her eyes welling with tears. She couldn’t say a word, no sound would leave her lips. The only sound she could hear were his words. His goodbye. Tears poured uncontrollably from her eyes. Her arms wrapped tightly around him, his blood staining her dress crimson. She couldn’t bring herself to care. Faintly, she could hear the others talking, Danica screaming, as though she were underwater. He couldn’t be gone. A hand gently laid on her shoulder though she paid it no mind. Her head rested on his still chest, his heart no longer beating, his lungs no longer drawing breath. Time was frozen. The world faded away. All that existed in her mind was her and the corpse she clutched so desperately. Arms wrapped around her waist gently, slowly lifting her away. She screamed, clawing at the arms that held her back. Held her away from him. Her nails scraped against harsh metal. Lucia. She screamed her curses at the knight, at the world. Damning the Twelve, the Fury, King Thordan, Zephirin, anyone who could hear her. Damn Haurchefant and his self sacrificing nature. Damn him and his kindness. His welcoming smile. Damn him. She sobbed loudly, boots scraping on the stone as the blonde knight continued to pull her away. The world faded around her, her only focus his body lying broken on the stone. His blood seeping into the cracks. The harsh blue glow. The only trace of the murder weapon. Murder. That’s all this was. Her best friend. Murdered. Her fists clenched, her eyes burning with fury and deep sadness. She could faintly see Danica and Estinien out of the corner of her eye. Aymeric… Aymeric was still with him, kneeling silently by the silver haired Elezen. Another scream ripped from her throat. Her eyes remained fixed on his still body while the world fell into darkness.

Soft murmuring. That was all she could hear when her eyes opened once more. Aymeric, arms drawn tightly around himself. Lucia, ever faithfully at his side. Estinien, as stoic as ever. Danica, gone off somewhere. She needed her own place to grieve. The Astrologian stood in the entrance to the Vault, companions standing around her. The same place where the Silver Fuller had gifted her an Ishgardian chocobo all those months ago. Without speaking a word, the Astrologian turned on her heel and ran. Ran far from the Fury damned Vault, far from the bloodied stones, far from the unnatural glow of that spear of light, far from Ishgard. Her boots left heavy footfalls in the snow, her path obvious and easily traceable. She ran until her lungs ached, crying for her to stop. Step. Step. Step. She didn’t stop though her body cried for her to. She ran until she found him. Francel de Haillenarte. Word hadn’t yet reached him, though he still caught the sobbing Astrologian and hugged her tightly. What happened? He asked, the longer she wept, the more concern seeped into his voice. What’s going on? Ace, talk to me. Faintly, she could hear his words. Stuttering, her voice shaky and broken, she told him. Told him of Aymeric’s capture, of the Knights Twelve, of Zephirin, of the spear of light, of Haurchefant. Tears soaked the shoulder of his shirt. He froze, eyes watering. He was gone and they both knew it. Their childhood friend, the friendship they thought would last lifetimes. It did. Silently, Francel dismissed the others in the room, sliding to the floor. The two clutched each other like they were the only things afloat in a rocky sea. They were. Their other rock had slipped beneath the waves. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the sad at least a little. c:


End file.
